Pan-roasted Mary's Chicken Breast Recipe

Bring components to room temperature

Remove chicken from refrigerator 20–30 minutes before cooking. Pat breasts dry with paper towels. Trim and cut asparagus into 1–1.5 inch segments. Clean mushrooms: slice trumpet mushrooms lengthwise into 1/4" planks; separate hen of the woods into bite-sized pieces. Mince shallot and divide garlic: 1 clove for vegetables, 2 for beurre monté.

Season chicken

Season both sides of the chicken breasts evenly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Reserve.

Heat a large ovenproof skillet (cast-iron preferred) over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbs neutral oil and heat until shimmering but not smoking.

Place chicken breasts skin-side down (if skin-on) in the hot pan. Don’t crowd the pan — cook in two batches if needed. Sear undisturbed 4–6 minutes until skin is deeply golden and releases easily from the pan.

Flip the breasts and add 1 tbs unsalted butter and 2 sprigs of thyme to the pan. Baste the chicken by spooning hot fat over the breasts for 1 minute.

Transfer the skillet to a preheated 375°F (190°C) oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 155–160°F (68–71°C) for juicy doneness (about 8–12 minutes depending on thickness). Remove from oven and tent loosely with foil; carryover will bring temperature to 165°F (74°C).

While chicken roasts, bring a medium pot of salted water to a gentle boil for gnocchi. Cook gnocchi according to package instructions until they float and are tender, about 2–3 minutes. Drain, toss with 1 tbs olive oil to prevent sticking, and set aside.

In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tbs olive oil over medium-high heat. Add minced shallot and sauté 1 minute until translucent.

Add trumpet and hen of the woods mushrooms. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and any released liquid has evaporated, about 5–7 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Add 1 clove minced garlic and sauté 30 seconds more.

Add asparagus pieces and sauté 2–3 minutes until bright green and just tender. Add the peas and cooked gnocchi to the pan and toss to combine. Add remaining thyme leaves (stripped from stems) and taste for seasoning; adjust with salt and pepper.

If desired, add a knob (about 1 tbs) of butter and toss to glaze the gnocchi and vegetables for 30–60 seconds. Keep warm while finishing chicken and sauce.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 tbs dry white wine (or vermouth) and 1/4 cup of the chicken stock; add the mashed black garlic paste. Bring to a gentle simmer and reduce by half, about 2–3 minutes.

Add remaining chicken stock and bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low so the liquid stays just below a simmer.

Whisk in the cold cubed butter, one or two pieces at a time, whisking constantly to emulsify into a glossy sauce (beurre monté). Maintain low heat so the butter melts but the sauce does not boil. Continue until all butter is incorporated and sauce is smooth and slightly thickened, about 3–5 minutes.

Stir in lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. If sauce is very thick, whisk in a tablespoon or two of warm stock to loosen.

Slice the rested chicken breasts across the grain into 1/4–1/2" slices (if boneless) or halve if leaving bone-in. Place a portion of the gnocchi and sautéed vegetables on each plate.

Arrange 1 chicken breast or equivalent slices atop the vegetables. Spoon 2–3 tbs of warm black garlic beurre monté over the chicken and a little onto the vegetables.

Shave fresh black summer truffle over the plated dish (or drizzle 1/4–1/2 tsp truffle oil if using). Scatter microgreens or chopped parsley and finish with a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt and a grind of black pepper.

Serve immediately while everything is warm. Leftover beurre monté can separate if cooled; rewarm gently and whisk to re-emulsify.